Project PlanningSMR (LWR)
Joshua Falls SMR site
📍 VA
Capacity
—
Expected Operation
—
Reactor Type
Not selected
Regulatory Status
NRC pre-application for a technology-agnostic early site permit; site characterization studies under way; ESP application planned for Q1 2027; Virginia SCC authorized site development spending (2025-11-12); Campbell County weighing an 'Industrial Intensive' zoning district and hiring outside experts
Details
Primary Use
Power generation
Research detail · verified 2026-10-10
Stage
Early stage (site agreement or plan only)
Commercial power
Yes
NRC docket
Project No. 99902129 (pre-application)
Stated target operation
Mid- to late 2030s (stated by Appalachian Power, reported by Cardinal News 2025-11-14)
Key dates
2024-11-14 APCo announced Joshua Falls as potential SMR site; 2025-03-05 notice of intent to pursue ESP sent to NRC; 2025-05-16 SCC petition filed; 2025-07-31 NRC public meeting on Joshua Falls ESP; 2025-11-12 SCC approved site development/evaluation spending (est. $122M; statutory cap $125M over 5 years); 2026-07-07 Campbell County supervisors agreed to hire experts before deciding on SMR zoning; 2026-07-16 APCo letter to NRC (AEP-ND-NRC-2026-004); 2026-07-30 NRC pre-application public meeting; ESP application planned Q1 2027 (per NRC pre-application page)
Not verified / conflicts
nrc.gov pages and PDFs (pre-application page, NOI letter, July 2026 letter) returned 403 / oversized to automated fetch; Q1 2027 ESP timing, project number and 2026-07-30 meeting come from search-result snippets of those NRC pages. WDBJ (2026-07-07) reports 'mid-2030s' and 'hundreds of jobs between construction and full-time jobs' - no specific number, so jobs fields left blank. APCo said in Aug 2026 it has 'no identified customer at this time'. AEP applied for DOE Gen III+ SMR funds for this site (2024-2025); no award found. Separate nearby proposal: Geenex 'Beck Creek Energy' (Amherst County) - see dropped.
Sources
- https://www.wvtf.org/news/2024-11-14/appalachian-power-wants-to-bring-small-modular-reactors-to-campbell-county
- https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML2506/ML25064A317.pdf
- https://cardinalnews.org/2025/11/14/regulators-give-appalachian-power-green-light-to-recover-small-modular-nuclear-reactor-site-costs/
- https://www.nrc.gov/public-involve/public-meetings/pmns/20260538
- https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML2619/ML26197A286.pdf
- https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/new-reactors/advanced/who-were-working-with/pre-application-activities/apco-joshua-falls
- https://www.wdbj7.com/2026/07/07/campbell-county-supervisors-discuss-zoning-change-that-would-allow-small-nuclear-reactors/
- https://www.wdbj7.com/2026/08/13/neighbors-concerned-about-apcos-plans-small-nuclear-reactor/
- https://www.appalachianpower.com/community/caring/view?id=10529
State Policy Context
View nuclear-related legislation and energy stats for Virginia